How to Avoid Hiring Mistakes When Rushing to Fill an Opening
When the pressure is on, it’s tempting to hire out of desperation…
- Scheduling is having to push appointments back months longer than usual.
- Associates who are trying to take up the slack are exhausted.
- Paperwork has become your weekend hobby.
- You’re referring work you would normally do to other offices.
- And when a long-time patient has an emergency, it creates a crisis in your office.
While a great deal of effort is justifiably placed on the mechanics of contracts and agreements for associates, it is important to keep an eye on fundamentals when seeking your next new hire.
Know who you are looking for.
You should have a job description for everyone in your practice. That way, should you have an opening, you have a head start for any job search. A good way to start is to ask current employees to draft a job description of their position.
Use phone interviews.
These “get to know you” calls are a great way to establish interest for both your practice and the associate to be sure there is a potential fit.
Always check references, experience, and credentials.
It is amazing the number of smart people who hire without checking references. Three in ten employers say they have found falsified credentials or references by candidates. Trust, but verify.
Limit the number of people responsible for hiring.
While building consensus is generally positive, involving too many people in the hiring is expensive, time consuming, and unlikely to improve results.
Listen rather than talk.
In an interview setting, it is easy to find yourself talking about your practice, but the person who is talking is not controlling the interview.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the cost of a bad hire is about 30 percent of the employee’s annual salary. At the current prevailing rate for pediatricians, that’s about $65,000, not to mention the lost opportunity and the fact that you have to start all over again.
ETS Pediatric can reduce the likelihood of a costly hiring mistake. We talk to pediatricians every day and may already know the perfect fit for your practice. Ready to get started? Contact us today!